Naked cake: the charming cake without frosting that is a success

In the literal translation from English, naked cake means naked cake, a great alternative to get away from traditional cakes. The main characteristic of this type of cake is the lack of icing, leaving the layers of dough and filling visible.

This trend that started in the United States and England, arrived in Brazil and won many fans in view of the possibilities of decoration that it offers. Special sugar, flowers and fruits are some of the possible adornments to enhance the look of the naked cake.

The naked cake can be the right choice for a birthday party, engagement, baby shower or even to finish off the sweets table at a wedding. The exposed layers and filling fill the eyes and whet the appetite.

naked cake recipes

Check out below several recipe options to make your own naked cake at home, decorating tips and see photos to inspire the creation of the look of your naked cake:

1. Chocolate Naked Cake with Red Fruits: The base of this cake is the chocolate dough, the filling consists of a white cream that takes cream cheese and the cake is finished with chocolate ganache on top. The recipe indicates that 2 layers of dough are made, so it is a good option for those who are starting and don’t feel comfortable to dare with many layers.

2. Lemon Naked Cake: With sponge cake, this cake is filled with lemon cream and covered with icing sugar and lemon zest. The recipe is simple and the decoration can be adapted and receive new adornments. Lemon cake is a good option for those who want to get away from the more traditional flavors.

3. Mini naked cake: A good option for souvenirs, the mini naked cake can have several fillings and any common cake dough can be used. The main requirement of this recipe is a specific form of mini cake, but the delicacy and freedom to exercise creativity are the highlights.

4. Cherry Naked Cake: The cake has three layers of dough that are wetted with cherry liqueur, the top decoration of the cake takes the same cream as the filling, which is based on cream. The decoration is finished with strawberry and cherry, and the final charm is on account of the chocolate sprinkles.

5. Naked cake with yogurt dough: To guarantee the fluffy dough of this cake, the recipe indicates the yogurt dough and offers options of syrups to complement the cake after serving. The recipe becomes more elaborate due to the layers of the cake and the options of syrups, but they can be adapted.

6. Naked cake in the cup: The great charm of this recipe is the presentation, made in the cup. The dough used is four quarters, the filling and topping are made with mascarpone and caramelized apple. The recipe brings a differentiated dessert that can impress your guests.

7. Strawberry and Blackberry Naked Cake: The recipe is affordable and can be the choice for beginners in the kitchen. The dough is adapted from a sponge cake recipe and the filling is made with whipped cream. The decoration is finished with icing sugar and fruit on top.

Tips to make the cake even more beautiful

The naked cake is a very versatile cake and the lack of icing allows you to create and innovate in the decoration. Chef Alessandra Alvarenga, founder of Atelier de Gâteau, in Belo Horizonte, warns that it is essential to idealize the final look of the cake before starting the assembly.

She adds that the assembly is the first step of the decoration, because due to the lack of covering, the filling is in evidence. If you want a larger layer of filling, it is necessary to pay attention to the consistency of the cream so that the cake remains firm.

To finish the cake, the chef recommends the use of iced sugar to give the snowy effect, as it is a sugar that has greater resistance to humidity and maintains the effect even over the hours, without being absorbed by the dough.

Still on the ornamentation, flowers, fruits and oilseeds such as walnuts, chestnuts and almonds can be used. It is important to make sure that the chosen decoration refers to the filling and that they are harmonized.

Finally, Alessandra points out that the frosting is a new trend in the naked cake theme, and can be applied in the form of colored frostings or ganache running slightly down the side, or even fondant applied only to the top of the cake.

Inspirations for your naked cake

Now that you’ve seen several recipes and checked out several ideas for decorating naked cakes, you can gather your knowledge and execute it by making a beautiful naked cake, but paying attention to the harmonization between the flavor of the dough, the filling and the decoration. See the photos below for inspiration: